BlackieBlueBird are a Copenhagen, Denmark based dream pop duo. They’ve just come to my attention thanks to their third album release. Mixing dreamy romanticism with a sense of melancholy, it’s called Grace & Gravity.
By Graeme Smith
Grace & Gravity opens with the delicate yet atmospheric The Morning After. There’s a timeless feel to the track and the vocals are instantly arresting. The lyrics paint a warm and romantic picture, and there are alternative pop sensibilities reminiscent of Lana Del Rey. It’s a great start.
Mesmerised keeps things romantic but introduces a livelier tempo. The Love We Once Knew is brimming with a wistful nostalgia. There’s a classic soulfulness to it, and the vocals are particularly heart-rendering. Mamachild is beautifully intimate and psychedelic, and has a rumbling, memorable bassline. I Can’t Stop Drinking About You rounds off the first half of the album with some melancholic, old-school country rock. It’s a highlight.
Oh Susanna is a captivatingly simmering rendition of the classic folk ballad originally composed by Stephen C Foster. Tired Hangs The Head gives us some moody electronica that wouldn’t be out of place in the ’80s. Boy of a 1000 Tears has a light and waltzing arrangement that contrasts nicely with the depth of the emotion in its lyrics. Love Me Like You’ve Never Been Hurt has a soft vulnerability to it before Snowwhite Swan closes the album with gentle, acoustic instrumentals in the verse that contrast a soaring, cinematic chorus.
Grace & Gravity is a beautifully composed album that nicely mixes retro and modern elements to create something that exists within its own realm. If you’re looking for something to get swept away by today, then look no further.
BlackieBlueBird are vocalist Heidi Lindahl and composer Nils Lassen. Joining them for this album is renowned Danish drummer Thomas Ortved. The album was written and produced by Nils, and released in cooperation with T&E Records and Aenaos Records. You can give it a listen below.